Carson, unfortunately, has no chance whatsoever of being the nominee, Trump won't get past Iowa because he is not about to sit in peoples living rooms, drink hot chocolate, and discuss politics with 25 people....Caucus state!
Cruz would be more than O.K. by me, but I'd MUCH rather have a governor than another 1 term senator.....like we have now.
What you seem to be saying is that Kasich is your guy at this stage in the game. And that makes you a progressive, part of the progressive wing of the Republican party, the wing that controls the RNC and is controlled by the donor class. You can claim to be conservative all you want, you are a progressive. Or a useful idiot. Or an RNC plant. Given your longevity here, I doubt that you are a plant. And you don't seem like a useful idiot. So, you are just a liberal Republican who has been here a long time. Not a conservative, don't kid yourself. Jeb Bush and Boehner claim to be conservative, too.